The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-05-05
rrrom the Bulletin of Iron and steel Assocaa-
Z tion.l
Ia the Iron Boom Reaching Vlrgin1aP


The Southern iron boom, which at hist
embraced only the Birmingham district OF
Alabama and the Chattanooga district OF
Tennessee. has now spread TO Annlsfon,
Sheffield, aud Selma in Alabama, to Rome
in Georgia, to Nashville in Tennessee, ana
IL various other places in these States TOO
numerous to mention. All the lines OF
telegraphic communication Wlththe SOUTH
various trade newspapers, and several tech
meal essays have kept the country fuily
informed of the character and progress oi
this wonderful boom. We have ourselves
collected some statistical data concerning
1t which will appear in due time. III IS
certainly marvellous industrial phenome
non in its scope, its proportions, its lnteh-
sity. and it's tenacity. The Development
of natural gas in and around Plttsbnrg MAY
he nroductive of less important consequent
ees to the iron industry of the country at
large than this Southern boom, when mas
evidently not vet reached its elimination
or fixed its boundaries.
The latest Southern State to show symp-
toms of breaking out with an attack OF the
boom we have been speaking OF is Virginia.
This State had alittle iron boom OF It's own
few years ago, when several OF the best
furnaces IN the country were then built
within its borders. and it may be excused
for having been little slow to catch the
snirit of the BROADER boom which origina-
ted further South about two years ago. 1t
had less need to catch it than the other
States for its resources for the manufacture
of iron had been more fully made known
than theirs had been. If the present boom
should now capture Virginia we may be
sure that both Tennessee and Alabama will
lind in her formidable competitor in the
manufacture of large quantities OF iron,
and at low cost. Already, as we showed
last week, Virginia has at Roanoke the
largest machine shop, for the utilization of
iron as well as other manufactured pro-
ducts. that is now in the South.
The indications that the boom sabout to
make itself felt in Virginia are numerous.
Large bona Jfde investments in the extern
siye iron ore and coal lands of Southwestern
Virginia have recently been made Tor tile
purpose of immediate development, new
and large blast furnace at Pulaski, in this
district, is already in course CT erection;
the ore of the district is excellent for foun-
dry purposes, and the coal makes superior
coke, and large demand for 1t is sure tC
be created as soon as it can ce put IN the
market: at Roanoke an inducement of &
cash bonus CT $50, 0G0 and exemption from
the payment of taxes has been offered 't
responsible persons who will establisha roll
ing mill; at Richmond our friend Blanken
ship is about finishing the first Bessemel
steel plant in Virginia; and lastly, among
the new Virginia enterprises that occur tt
us is the rumored sale during the past week
to Pittsburg capitalists Of a 500 900 IN
terest in the Van Buren, Furnace property
near Woodstock, which is expected to re
suit in the active development of its man
ganiferous and other iron ores, which arr
embraced in tract Of several Thousand
acres.
If to the foregoing hasty summary CT th'
signs of fresh activity in the development
of Virginia's iron resources we add tha
the fires of her existing iron enterprises a
Richmond, Lynchburg, Roanoke. Low
Moor, Lopgdale, and some other places ar
now burning brightly it will be seen tina
there are good reasons for believing tina
an iron boom in this State similar to tina
which is now at fever heat in Tennessee
and Alabama is one of the possibilities C
the near future. If it should prove to b
just little less rapid in its progress thai
that which prevails in these two last men
toned States, We do not tilll-k that an,
harm would be done.